UN-Killable
by PyroMidnightAngel
Summary: A girl was raised with a group of gladiator style death match survivors. Her adopted father controls the game's rules. Watch her as she navigates through the world of underground fighting and learn about the world. Savedra Romanov is her name. Politics is her game. Starring Robert Pattison. *Warning! This is NOT a story about Twilight from the very start!*
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

_A/N: okay, this story is situated in our world, using the actors on the cast of Twilight. This came to me awhile ago, and only now I have the courage to finally make it public. The cast won't come into the story until much later. So here goes._

Chapter 1

A couple was thrown onto the ground. They had been badly mistreated, sporting bruises, cuts and black eyes. The woman, an African-American, was unmistakably pregnant, but carried the same amount of injuries as the man sprawled by her side. Her eyes were clear, her chin set in defiance. She glared at the man lounging on an extravagantly masculine chair, meeting his eyes with no fear.

"Alexo Azarov," the man said. The injured man, Alexo, flinched. "You were spotted passing information to this man." He pulls out a creased photograph, depicting a man with white-blond hair and laughing blue eyes. "A few weeks ago, Azazel-" he indicated the dark man beside him"-found him dead in a ditch. he was identified as an undercover CIA agent, from America." Alexo went deathly white.

"S-Sire," blubbered Alexo.

Quick as a flash, the man stood and strode towards Alexo. Alexo whimpered, seeing the rage and hatred in his superior's face. "_You have no right to call me Sire!" _He screamed, kicking Alexo in his midsection. _"I lost millions because of you! Two of my best arenas gone! Because of Americans!" _His roar echoed uncomfortably around the dome-shaped room. The woman did not react. _"WHAT ELSE DID YOU TELL HIM!"_

Bloodied spit dripped out of the side of Alexo's mouth. It hurt even to breathe. One eye was out of focus. Knuckles dripping with blood, the man stood, eyes cold as death. One of six guards passed him a warmed towel.

"Nothing to say, Alexo?" The man taunted, wiping himself clean. Alexo whimpered. "Maybe if I give your wife a makeover-" He yanked on the woman's thick dark hair, until her back was bent in reverse. Tears sprang out in the woman's eyes. "-you'll finally talk." He lightly ran the tip of a dagger along her olive-toned cheeks.

"S-She's no' my wif'," gurgled Alexo. "F-Found her on 'e s'ree."

The blue-grey eyes of the man suddenly turned frigid. "Well, well, well." The woman felt the hairs on her neck stand. "So you're another one."

_Oh god, _she thought. _He thinks I'm a spy!_

"Let's see how you report back to your boss when I'm done with you, shall we?" The woman pressed her lips tightly together. The dagger bit into her lips, drawing blood. She stared at the man in fright. It dug deeper. "What fun we're going to have!"

"Enough." The voice was soft, slightly high-pirtched; a child's.

Everyone stopped moving. The command wasn't loud; there was no need. The echo of the word resonated with a quiet power held perfectly in check. The frigid ice that was the man's eyes melted.

"Alexa."

A lone figure detached itself from the shadows beyond the entrance. It paused, briefly, at the edge of the shadows. The warm golden-brown light that illuminated the room touched it, catching the vivid red hue of long wavy locks and the paleness of her face. Her eyes were an electrifying purple that seemed to capture the light; like a cat's.

"Yes?" The man continued to inquire.

"I want her, William."

The man, William, thought for a moment. "No."

One side of the child's mouth quirked. "Shall I speak to Bishop for the attempted murder of his own daughter?" The woman gasped. She knew the child. Alexa Bishop, daughter of Aeternus Bishop, the head of this illegal operation.

William went bone-white. He clenched his teeth tightly. "Why her?" He roughly turned the woman's face and smashed his lips violently against hers. "I happen to _like _her."

The child rolled her eyes. "You only want something when it's not yours, William. A common trait amongst men who don't know where they stand." The child stepped into the light. With shock, the woman realized that the child was barely six years old. Maybe younger. "Simply put, you are both a bully and a fool."

"She's _my _pet," he hissed.

"I'll buy her," she followed without missing a beat. She smiled. "Where's my prize money, Sordino?"

A woman stepped out behind the child. Voluptuous in form, her hair was richly thick and wavy, her eyes the colour of sweet honey. She looked prominently Hispanic, with maybe a touch of Spanish, clothed in a dark velvet top and jeans. There was a heavy-looking sack in her hands. She passed it to William, who released the woman and stood.

"Bishop gave me a cut of my earnings, since I performed beyond his wishes, and wanted to reward me." She smiled coldly. "I'm sure this will be enough."

"Sixty hundred thousand rubies," the voluptuous woman, Sordino, said. William stared, stunned, at the sack in his hands. That was a whole lifetime of his salary. Money, or a woman who clearly is worth more?

Sordino knelt down beside the pregnant woman. "Come." The woman hesitated. Sordino smiled. "It's okay. My mistress will not allow me to harm a hair on your precious head." The woman flushed, and started to rise unsteadily with Sordino's help.

Abruptly, a sword stopped a hairs' breadth away from the woman's face. A small dagger deflected it, in the hands of the flame-haired child.

"Let her go." Purple eyes darted towards Sordino.

"Yes, mistress," Sordino acquiescent. She helped the woman up.

Together, they left the room.

"You can have Alexo."

_A/N: okay what do you think? R&R please._

_E_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

_A/N: Hi, this story actually starts around 1991~1992, in Russia, so some of the details may seem a little off. Please bear with me. P.S. Alexa Bishop is around 5~6 years old._

Chapter 2

Noelle couldn't comprehend what had just happened. First, Alexo landed them in deep shit and she nearly miscarriaged several times. Next she was stumbling through an underground tunnel with the Hispainc equivalent of Elizabeth Taylor, saved by a child barely old enough to know half of what she had said to William, one of Aeternus Bishop's inner circle members, who happened to be Aeternus Bishop's daughter, Alexa Bishop.

The girl-child, Alexa, rolled her eyes. "I _do _know what I said to William, Noelle Kiowa. You have a lot to learn around here, if you want to survive." Noelle flinched. _How did she know my name? _Alexa glanced at Noelle's protruding belly. "If you want to live to see the day your baby is born." Noelle thrust her chin out in defiance.

"And what if I die?" She demanded, struggling with the language. "What happens to my baby?" Noelle gripped her belly almost violently. The girl shrugged.

"Then she is my ward. Won't it, Sordino?" Alexa frowned. "You'll have to help me take care of her." Noelle relaxed. She could trust Sordino.

Suddenly, Sordino cursed a blue streak in Spanish. "God damn it! How many more times must I _do _this? It's debasing to play 'mistress and servant' in front of those chauvinistic men!" Noelle couldn't help but giggle. Chuavinistic was right. Those men do not care for women with smart mouth of any standing.

The child shook her head, but her lips twitched suspiciously. Noelle realized how pretty she was; dark red curls, flushed round cheeks and flawless cream-and-roses complexion. Her pupils weren't actually purple, instead they were a dark brown that reminded Noelle of expensive dark chocolate. Which goes to show how much Aeternus Bishop lavished on his only child. Sordino seemed to notice it, and sighed.

"Why did you take the contacts off again?" She asked.

"Well, no one's watching, and I don't like how they feel when I wear them," the child complained.

Eventually, they reached a large, solid wooden door that led to a few flights of stairs. Noelle noticed, like the tunnel, it was heated. _Expensive, especially since it's winter right now._ They stopped at a mahogany door. Alexa opened the door with an old-fashioned key previously hidden beneath her clothes, strung out on a thin gold chain.

Inside, there were several spacious rooms, opening up to the living room. The furniture were in varying warm shades of blue and brown hues with gold accent, as if to banish the torturous cold outside the door. There were also splashes of orange, purples and yellow, albeit sublte. The child deposited her cloak and weapons by the matching clothing stand and shelf by the entrance. Noelle gulped at the sight of the stilettos, array of throwing knives and other varying swords, as well as one massive recurve bow that had somehow been hidden beneath the cloak and Alexa's small body.

"Don't worry," assured Alexa with a naive smile. "I won't hurt you."

Noelle gulped. _Not right now, at least._

Sordino sat on the rich brown love seat that matched her 'mistress's eyes. Noelle sat down beside her. Alexa flounced over to a one-sitter in creamy yellow and sat down. Her little feet swung a few inches above the ground, hammering home the fact that she was a child, yet she was part of an underground gladiator-esque fighting industry which her father ran and she fought in.

"In this suite, my name is Savedra Romanov." Noelle opened her mouth. "Outside, you must _never _call me anything except Mistress, Mistress Alexa or my lady, okay?" Noelle nodded, still confused. Alexa, or rather, _Savedra_, sighed. "Bishop doesn't treat his people the way I do with mine. It's best if he doesn't know about this."

"Any variations of Alexander is used to control people around here, but mine was because Bishop thought of that name first," Savedra continued to explain. "It's an _onnarrary_ name for me, since I am raised here, as you know." Savedra flushed as she stumbled over the word. "_Honorary._"

"What about the Crimson Child?"

"Bishop chooses..._names _for us. He uses them to promote us and for making bets." Savedra looked pleased that she managed to pronounce the word 'promote'. "It's another type of lease, like Alexander, which is why I don't want to be known as what he wants me to be."

"But doesn't he decide whether you live or die?"

"That's the fun of it," she replied, smiling and yet not smiling. A chill went up Noelle's spine. _What a game for a child to play._

"Isn't this...a little dangerous?" Savedra shook her head.

"Bishop finds it funny, since technically I'm his daughter." _There-that pleased look again._ Noelle staredin shock at her. "He prefers to keep it a secret." Savedra sounded almost...disgusted. _Well, good. She ought to be. This Bushop guy has got to be the most immoral, sadistic, manipulative snake that ever lived._

"You're Native American, aren't you?" Sordino exclaimed. Noelle nodded. "I'm a quarter! Who's the father?" She indicated the baby Noelle was carrying. Noelle blinked. This time, the smile on Savedra's lips were unmistakable.

"Some guy I happened to have a fling with. Roger...something." Sordino looked horrified. Savedra giggled. Noelle blushed. She knew it was a bad idea, leaving home as she did. But she was young and going through a rebellious phrase. Then she met the guy of her dreams, whose _name _she doesn't even remember, and gotten herself knocked up. But she didn't regret any of it. No matter what, she wanted the baby. _Her baby._

Sordino stopped walking. Abruptly, Noelle returned to the present, and realized that they'd stopped in a room filled with every possible article of clothing that a female would wear at one stage of life or another. She stared. And stared.

Sordino laughed. "Wait till you see the beauty room," she murmured. Then, she cleared her throat and spoke in a louder voice. "Now, come on. Let's get you out of those clothes and see the damage. Then we'll get some new clothes for you." She winked conspiratorially. "You can keep them."

"_Really?"_ Sordino nodded.

"Savedra doesn't mind." She sifted through the racks of clothes. "Most of thers are more appropriate for when she's older, anyway. Aha! Found them." Sordino pulled out a large box painted pastel green. "Maternity clothes." Looking at Noelle's expression, Sordino blushed, laughing. "Bishop left the clothes to his assistant, who happens to be in his late fifties." Noelle looked horrified.

"How old is she?" Noelle asked.

"She'll be seven in January," Sordino replied. "Here. We'll go to the bathroom and clean you up, then you can rest for the day, okay?"

Noelle nodded, a little dazed. _This is unreal._

_A/N: Hope you all like it! No flames please. R&R!_

_E_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

**A/N: BTW, the next few chapters are in Russian. Just translating for ease of reading. Enjoy!**

**P.S Sorry it took so long-had seven~eight story arcs running in my head. When I'm done with this arc, I might branch out to the others :)**

Un-beta'd

* * *

Chapter 3

After Noelle had finally fallen asleep in her own bedroom, Sordino left, an amused smile on her lips. _It's like watching a child on Christmas Day morning. _ She went to the kitchen and made two cups of hot chocolate, adding extra marshmallows to the thicker cup, before returning to the living room. Her little girl sat, lounging by her favourite Edwardian-styled lamp. She passed her the mug with more marshmallows. Savedra muttered her thanks, warming her small hands against it. Sordino smiled.

"What should I do, Sordino?" Savedra asked. "I must've been crazy to do that. Bishop could have my head because of her." She hunched up into herself, looking terribly small and fragile.

"Perhpas your heart couldn't stand to see people die anymore," Sordino soothed. "Perhaps you are sick of this work." Savedra snorted. She knew _exactly _which 'heart' Sordino was talking about. She sipped the aromatic brew.

"Save me from that Oprah crap," she snapped, indignant. "As long as Bishop is my father, I am a killer."

Sordino placed the mug on her lap, and looked at Savedra. _So young, and already she knows the price she has to pay to live. This shouldn't _be _her life. I would never have allowed it. If only..._Yes, if only. Sordino knew Bishop's ruling system and his ways well; she was very much like Savedra. at least on the field, many many years ago. Merciless, powerful, manipulative. And at her prime, invincible. At least, she thought she was.

But she had a life. A life of family and white picket fences, before she gave it all up for _this_. She _ruined_ herself. She had been lucky- very lucky - that Bishop had spared her, and gave her her second chance. Not for the first time, she wondered, _Perhaps God had cheated me of my child, just so that I may have a child cheated of a normal life. _

Sordino loved Savedra with every fibre of her being, but at times, could not help the ugly, parasitic monster that grew out of the darkest human emotions from rising within her. But when she was with Savedra, in any _normal_ way, a child barely discovering this wonderfully imperfect world, the monster could not touch her. She was _safe._

_What a fucked-up family we make_, Sordino murmured to herself.

"Let me handle Bishop," Sordino said firmly. "But before that, Caius came to speak with me."

Caius Stalome was Aeternus Bishop's right-hand man. He basically filled the role of Bishop's shadow;silent, practical, merciless. His influence in the group was only marginally greater than Savedra. Savedra straightened up in her seat, putting down her mug.

"Yes?"

"Bishop's letting you have a vacation." Savedra stared, stunned, at Sordino. Childish glee and excitement slowly filled her face.

A pang of pain, love and sadness lanced through Sordino. _If only..._

Savedra punced on her, shocking Sordino. "Thank you, Mama."

Savedra had always known that Sordino was not her birth mother. Nevertheless she loved Sordino. Sordino's heart clenched almost violently. She held her tight, silent tears leaking out. Savedra lets go of Sordino and looked up. She quietly touched the tears spilling forth. "I love you."

"Always," Sordino vowed. "Where would you like to go? The seaside home?" Savedra shook her head.

"Somewhere..._sunny. _Big. Lots of forests too." Sordino smiled.

"We'll go to the Carribeans. They have the _most _beautiful sunset." Savedra looked up, curious.

"Have you been there before?"

"Baby, I was _born there_."

**A/N: R&R please. Thanks:)**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

**A/N: Sorry about the short chapter- it was past of a longer one I decided to introduce later. As always, enjoy!**

Un-beta'd

* * *

Chapter 4

Noelle woke up completely sated. She smiled sleepily, staring at the bedroom before her. _Her own bedroom. _ The television was extremely high-tech, despite being in the 1990s, sleek and light-weight. The heater worked perfectly, and the bed-oh god, it was the softest thing ever! The covers were varying shades of gold and bronze, beautiful, and just by the corner was a whitewood cradle just waiting for her baby. the child in question gave her a morning kick, and Noelle sleepily rubbed the spot. _Morning, baby._

_Wait, _is _it morning? _ Noelle got up fast, staring out the window. It showed snow swirling about outside, light enough to be anywhere between late afternoon to early evening. _Had everything been a dream? The torturing, the conversation slash threats with William, meeting any impossible little girl named Savedra Romanov but is also Alexa Bishop, Aeternus Bishop's beloved daughter? _Noelle's mind whirled with information.

There was a quick knock on the door. Noelle looked up, just as a woman came in, dressed in a sweater dress that made any female feel a hit in their self-esteem, clinging to her every curve. She smiled, honey brown eyes twinkling. _Soridno. So it wasn't a dream afterall._

"Noelle?" She asked. "Are you alright?"

"F-Fine," Noelle gasped. "Just g-give m-me a second!" She took a deep breath. Sordino walked to her, and wrapped her arms around Noelle.

"Sweetie, it's alright," she whispered. "The first day after beign freed is always the hardest. Take your time." Noelle hands shook, but slowly, she wrapped them around Sordino as well.

"Y-You were l-like me?" Noelle couldn't fathom anyone so beautiful would be thrown out of her home.

Sordino nodded. "My family was jealous. I came from a somewhat inferior gene pool, so to speak. I had six sisters who were all considered extremely beautiful, until I turned seventeen. Suddenly _I_ was the one being scouted for modeling, _I _was posing for ads and _I _was being asked to become an actress." Sordino sighed. "There was an ugly fight and I left. They shouted, 'Don't ever come back!' as I walked away. I was nineteen, if you want to know. It's been close to ten years now."

"Wow." Sordino frowned.

"Would you like to rest some more?" Noelle vehemently shook her head. Sordino sighed. "Alright."

They slowly made their way to the adjoining bathroom. To Noelle's surprise and Sordino's amusement, it was nicely heated and well-lit. "You didn't think Savedra would do things halfway, did you? Well, and that we can't have you walking about, chattering with blue lips." Sordino winked. Noelle smiled back timidly. Sordino looked at her knowingly."Go on. It's just you and me; you can call her Savedra." Noelle nodded.

Sordino left Noelle sitting on the lid of the toilet bowl and bent down to turn on the hot water tap. Noelle started to protest, until hot water gushed out of the gold tap into the bathtub. She stared, transfixed. Hot water, especially in rural Russia, was a rare commodity.

"Don't worry! All the fighters have their own private source of heated water. Savedra, however, has three. This is your own source. Plus, the canteen doesn't officially open until nine on free days."

"There's no fights today?"

"Mm-hmm. Snow storm. Didn't you see? The roads are blocked and everyone's strongly advised to stay at home or indoors for the next few days or so. Most of the guys here use these days to catch up on their sleep. The fighters just sleep in a little, because of their Regiment." Sordino quirked a smile. "Well, most of them." Noelle frowned in confusion. "You'll see."

Sordino carefully helped Noelle into the tub. Noelle sighed blissfully, luxuriating in the blistering heat of the water. They added some scented salts and Sordino left to get something for Noelle to drink. It gave Noelle time to think on her own, and the heated water helped that.

She couldn't help but notice that there was a deeper bond between Sordino and Savedra. They were very similar, and also very different. Both were strong-willed, powerful figures in this world, and carried many secrets. Very quiet, thoughtful people who had every plan meticulously planned and enemies galore. It scared Noelle out of her mind that these were the type of people she was associating with. She knew, from experience, that people around them die every easily, and there are only two types. The dead and the depraved living.

Noelle pitied the both of them. Savedra, for being found in the wrong place, at the wrong time, by the wrong person, and being robbed of her innocence. Because that was what had happened, how Aeternus Bishop had gotten his hands on her. Sordino, for being the right person, who made the wrong choice. And yet, they both stuck to their decision; to stay. Either of them could've easily found a way to leave, to escape from this hellish place where the conscience is best left at the doorstep. It told Noelle, more than anything else, that she could trust them to keep her safe. _They would never break their promises and vows._

It was a frightening conclusion to come to. These sort of people made the best friends, the best sibling, the best parent. However, they also made the worst enemies in the world. _Which side of the knife will they fall to?_

"Noelle?" She started. "I brought a few chocolate bars and coffee. I added some creamer, if you don't mind."

"Of course not!"

**A/N: R&R please. Thanks:)**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

Un-beta'd

_"Life is short, don't waste time worrying about what people think of you. Hold on to the ones that care; in the end they will be the only ones there."_

_~ Anonymous_

* * *

Chapter 5

As they made their way to meet Savedra, Noelle noticed the deathly silence that cloaked the colossal building. It seemed to be a combination of castle and mansion, in a mishmash way, with turrets and wobbly panes of glass that had withstood time, and an arena that would've easily held an army. It was built underground, beneath the miserable rows of frost-bitten plants and the courtyard, for insulation of heat perhaps? There were also no guards.

"They are off-duty till late evening. Our boys know how to behave for that long at least." Sordino winked mischievously.

Snow heaped upon the ground, blanketing the landscape in bits of white. The snowstorm had settled down, but none of the wildlife had dared to come out. Noelle sighed as they walked past a beautifully arched window pane of circles and diamonds. _So sad, and still so beautiful._

They went down a long flight of stairs, into a dimly lit hallway that led to alternating doors. Only one had light streaming into it. The door had diamond cutouts on it, with an old-fashioned metal-barred door. It suddenly reminded Noelle of one movie she'd seen years ago, where an all-girl's school was originally an asylum, and a vengeful, insane poltergeist had been let lose by one of the students, killing them off one by one. Noelle shuddered.

Sordino opened the door, letting go of Noelle for a brief moment. Noelle felt the action all the way to her toes, goosebumps appearing. _Calm down, Elle! It was fiction! Not Real. Stop trying to give yourself a heart attack, you ninny!_

"Noelle?" She started.

"S-Sorry!"Noelle stuttered. "It j-just reminded m-me of a h-horror film my friends dared me to watch." Sordino glanced knowingly at the door.

"Yes, it _does _remind you of an asylum, doesn't it?" Sordino half-asked, half-muttered to herself. "Perhaps I could talk to Bishop and have it changed. Savedra may get scared of it because of this." Sordino then took Noelle's hand and they entered the room.

Noelle winced at the sudden bright light. Good ol' electricity ran through the tinted lights, giving the room a warm, comforting air. Slowly, Noelle's eyes adjusted, and her eyes widened at the sight before her.

Savedra whirled across the room, dancing with a longsword that had a slightly curved blade. A dummy stood before her, bearing thousands of cuts stitched close. She wore no gloves to protect herself, gracefully slashing the dummy to bits with both extravagant and precise movements. The look of fierce determination and euphoria sent shivers down Noelle's spine. _This isn't normal. _With one two-handed uppercut, the dummy's 'stomach' was split open, pouring hay onto the floor. Savedra stopped, panting, and sheathed her sword.

"Why didn't you use the lightweight kalzbalger?" Sordino asked. "It's better for precision training."

"I want to make my cuts faster," stated Savedra. "The karabela hilt and shashka blade is alot heavier, which will make it easier to hit faster when I use the kalzbalger for my fights."

Sordino sighed. "You know you aren't supposed to start the strengthening regiment until Aeternus approves." Savedra shot her a glare.

"Well, that was before William set me up for a fight that near got my head chopped off!" Savedra mopped her sweaty face with the back of her hand. "Besides, this isn't even strengthening my arms; it's a temporary reaction." She didn't even notice that she'd prononounced 'temporary' perfectly. Savedra pulled her dark hair up.

That's when Noelle noticed a livid red scar running around the back of Savedra's neck. It puckered and looked painful. Noelle shuddered to think what could have caused such a mark, and the reasons behind it.

"_Put your hair down!"_ Sordino's face had turned bone white; a feat.

"Why? Bishop will know of it sooner or later," Savedra remarked. "If he hasn't already."

A resounding slap echoed through the room. Savedra, sporting a fresh livid mark on her cheek, stared at Sordino in shock. Sordino, in turn, stared at her own hand in horror. Brown eyes welled with tears, Savedra stared at Sordino questioningly. Why, she seemed to ask. Why did she hit her?

Sordino knelt down and circled her arms around the child-mistress. Savedra followed suit, her hands tangled within Sordino's long ebony locks, as the first tear escapes. Sordino crooned softly by her ear, and sighed. "What am I supposed to do with you, child?" _I can hardly tell the difference as to being a servant and a mother anymore._

"Be my mama," she whispered. "For now."

"I'm so sorry, baby. I was just angry...at everything." Sordino gripped her frail little shoulders, a fierce protectiveness and rage coursing through her. _This isn't fair. _

Savedra pushed Sordino away. A stab of pain ran through her heart. "Are you angry at me?" Her soft brown orbs looked too big to fit her face;owl-like, imploring.

"I could never be angry at you." Sordino pressed her forehead against her daughter's. "Will you forgive me?"

Savedra smiled. Innocence radiated from her. "Did you do something I should remember?" Sordino grinned. They shared a soft laugh.

Noelle sighed, rubbing her swollen belly. _This will be me. Soon._ She thought for a moment.

_Without the fighting,_ she decided.

As Savedra showered, Sordino went through a small closet with 'Alexa Bishop' spelt in gold across the doors. Noelle stared in wonder at the both of them. Well, one of them. She'd been a first hand victim of parent-child arguments gone awry, and knew exactly how bad things could go. The rapport shared between Savedra and Sordino was...astounding, to say the least. It was like watching a parent talk to a child, as well as sisters reconciling after a fight, all wrapped up in one incident. It wasn't _normal_, per say, but it made her wonder how _she _would interact with her own child. She smiled dopily at the fantasy. _I hope it's a boy._

"Does she go to school?" Noelle asked. "Lady Alexa?" Were _there any schools around here?_

"No, there aren't any. We have tutors." Sordino smiled knowingly. "I'll make sure your son has a good education as well, okay?" Noelle nodded, and bit her lip uncertainly. Sordino sighed. "Is there anything else you want to know?"

"Well, why didn't you leave this place, when you can?" She asked. Sordino's hand froze on a canary yellow dress.

Her face darkened. "Skip."

"But that's the easiest!" Noelle protested.

She stared coldly at her. "Skip."

"Fine." Noelled frowned. "How did Alexa get her scar?"

"William arranged a fight for her with a skilled swordsman," Sordino began. "Aeternus was away on a business trip; he still is."

The fighter was found dead, fifteen minutes before the match was supposed to begin. The only other person who was free was a dumb as dirt seven feet giant who makes Arnold Schwarzenegger look like a five year old. We didn't know the change until the match had begun. Within five minutes, she was caught and the damned giant was about to behead her. The crowd was so very loud. I'd heard a scream. My scream. The crowd was quiet. William was holding me back. I wanted to climb the gates, to get to Savedra, in whichever way I could think of. Our eyes met. She was _so scared_. I tried to scream again, but William slapped me. He was trying to say something. I couldn't hear. I saw blood flying. I never felt so terrified in my life." Her eyes were glazed, her mind trapped in those terrible memories.

"I stabbed the giant's hand, and he lets me go. I climbed up him and cut his neck open. He had an air embolism and died," Savedra quietly finished for her. She had come out of the shower, hair damp and steam gushing out. She was dressed in a tiny bathrobe. "But it left me this scar for life." She lightly touched her neck. "That was three months ago." Noelle shuddered. Savedra looked sad.

She walked over to Sordino. "Don't be scared." Savedra took her frozen hand and pressed it lightly over her cheek, where her mark was. "I'm here, aren't I?" She kissed Sordino softly on the cheek. Savedra glanced over at Noelle. "I won't die yet. I promise. So don't be scared."_ She's like a mom._

"Okay?" She asked. Sordino and Noelle nodded. "Now, clothes please."

* * *

Sordino picked out a cashmere laced-up dress in deep violet and cotton shift and dressed Savedra up in it. The colour complimented Savedra's pale skin perfectly, giving it colour where there was none. Her dark eyes were the perfect twin of the dark brown over the knee boots she chose, or perhaps it was the opposite. Her cheeks were flushed and her face lit up with a smile. Sordino picked up a hairbrush and handed it to Noelle. She looked startled. "Me?"

"For practice," Sordino smiled.

Noelle scooted forward and picked up some of Sordino's hair. It was soft and silky, slightly damp from the shower. She lightly ran the brush through her hair, marveling at the emotions such a simple action stirred within her. Her hair danced in the light, flickering between shades of red like the flames in an outdoor fireplace, even blond in some places. Savedra played with the hem of her dress and sat swinging her feet back and forth in front of her. She liked having her hair combed. Well, _now_ she liked having her hair combed. It always got caught in twigs and leaves and mud. Remembering to cut it off every few months so it just barely touched her shoulders. Having met Bishop, Savedra started to grow her hair out, letting Sordino lighten her hair with tea and honey, until it became red. Savedra liked it, because Bishop smiled when she first walked out of a toilet with her new hair, and she liked that smile.

But she still didn't like _him._

**A/N: finally something decent. Hope you all like it! R&R please!**


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

Un-beta'd

Chapter 6

They reached the canteen minutes after it opened. Already, the place was filled with people. Noelle stared at the lot of them, biting on her lower lip. Her dark eyes absorbed the sight of perfectly toned and muscled speciments of both genders with silent shock. _This is my home now. Wow._ She'd stepped off from planet Earth to planet Gorgeous.

"Hey, Alexa!" A tall, burly man shouted, waving a metal ladle.

The hall went silent. Abruptly, it exploded with shouts of greeting. If Aeternus Bishop had chosen that moment to pass by, he might have been hard pressed to believe that a fight had broken out. Instead, Savedra was welcomed by everyone. She nodded in greeting to those she didin't know well, smiled at those she did and hugged those she knew best. All throughout this, she was waved, thumped in the back and showered kisses and flowery greetings by everyone in the room. The quintessential adult-child.

An old but still strong man with a prosthetic arm caught the tiny girl in his saucepan-like hands and twirled her about in the air. Savedra giggled, waving her hands about, half-protesting and half-excited. "Let me down, Theron!" She protested. "I'm no' a baby anymore." A slight Scottish/Gaelic accent permeated her voice.

The silver haired man, Theron, threw his head back and barked out a laugh. He carefully set the tiny redhead down, and mock-winced when he was the receiving end of a kick to the shins, which was how high Savedra could kick. "At ye command, m' lady. I'm here te serve." Savedra burst out in laughter, hugging her belly, a child once more. Suddenly, Noelle gasped in recognition.

"B-Black R-Raven," she stuttered in fright. The slayer of thousands. Wherever he walks, Death follows. Aeternus' greatest male fighter, forced into retirement at seventy-four when a match went wrong and his arm was amputated, and the teacher of future fighters, including Savedra Romanov. _Dear God, I thought he'd died! The man's a living legend! Oh my god. Oh my GOD._

Theron raised his hand. His eyes, a bright piercing green, was the only indication that this old man before Noelle had ever beenthe monster of many freelance fighter's- or mercernaries, if you want to be technical- nightmares. His bodyhad gone soft, as it's wont to do, but carried no paunch, nor anything that resembled fat. His craggy face, once carved by cruelty, was filled with laugh lines and wrinkles, which only made him that much mire appealing. Or perhaps it was the raw masculinity and virility emanating from the man as his eyes pierced through every wall and shield Noelle ever tried to erect within herself with a single glance. Noelle's hands shook, unable to look away.

He smiled, eyes crinkling in the shadows. "Who's this, Alexa?"

Savedra beamed. "My daughter, Noelle Kiowa. Well, she will be." Sordino just looked as if she were about to have an aneurysm. Noelle's mout dropped open.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet any son or daughter of Alexa," Theron went on, completely unaffected. "My name is Theron Dreykov." A smirk lifted a corner of his mouth higher than the other. "You also know me as the Black Raven, but that name was retired a long time ago, as ye may well kno'." He made no more to shake her hand.

"Breathe, Noelle," Sordino whispered. Noelle breathed, realizing she'd been holding her breath all this time. Sordino pursed her lips. "Please don't runi our good name by scaring the newcomer."

Theron let out a sharp bark. "Ruin our name! Ye' hear dat?" He shouted to their audience. "Listen te her, and we might really be mistaken fer gentle men and ladies!" Racuous laughter laced through the crowd, along side snickers. "We're a pack of wolves, Sordino." He smiled, as if to show he was teasing only. Sordino snorted.

"I can take you any day, old wolf, with a hadn tied behind my back and eyes closed," Sordino drawled.

"Ooooh," went the crowd.

"Fight!" One idiot shouted. Slowly the others picked up.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"You've got balls, sweetheart," Theron said. His accent had vanished.

"Well, at least mine are bigger than yours," she retorted. Catcalls were made around the hall. "Pussycat." The two of them coolly assessed each other. The tension in the room heightened as the audience start chanting once more.

"Bring it."

"Anytime, _babydoll_." Sordino growled.

"Hey guys," a huge Viking-esque man boomed. "Time to break up this lovefest between old timers. Don't cha think, Lady Bishop?" He winked.

Savedra nodded, a steely edge to her eyes. "Yes, I believe so."

Theron took a step a way from Sordino and turned to Noelle. He caught her in a bear hug that almost crushed her ribs.

"WELCOME TO THE PACK, PRINCESS!" He roared.

"Put her down before you break her," Savedra warned.

Theron roared with laughter. "Of course, _Mom._"


End file.
